Kevin wins Best Film at BFI Awards

October 27th, 2011

'We Need to Talk About Kevin' has won the Best Film accolade at the BFI London Film Festival awards ceremony.

The movie - which stars Tilda Swinton and John C. Reilly - beat off competition from eight other nominees at the showcase in London last night (26.10.11) including 'Faust' and 'The Descendants' - and chair of the judging panel John Madden said the jury were "bowled over" by the motion picture.

John - who presented the gong with fellow judge and 'X-Files' actress Gillian Anderson - said: "In the end, we were simply bowled over by one film, a sublime, uncompromising tale of the torment that can stand in the place of love.

"'We Need to Talk About Kevin' is made with the kind of singular vision that links great directors across all the traditions of cinema."

'Junkhearts' star Candese Reid took home the Best British Newcomer award for her role in the film at the age of 18, which also won her a £5,000 bursary.

Andy Harries, chair of the award's jury, explained: "Candese is a fresh, brilliant and exciting new talent. Every moment she was on screen was compelling."

Terry Gilliam presented Pablo Giorgelli with the Sutherland Award for his work as the director of 'Las Acacias', which tells an uplifting story about a truck driver and his passengers.

The jury said: "In a lively and thoughtful jury room debate, 'Las Acacias' emerged as a worthy winner, largely because of the originality of its conception. Finely judged performances and a palpable sympathy for his characters makes this a hugely impressive debut for director Pablo Giorgelli."

Other winners saw 'Into the Abyss: A Tale of Death, A Tale of Life' take home the Grierson Award for Best Documentary and as previously announced, Ralph Fiennes and David Cronenberg won the BFI Fellowship.

The full list of award winners:

Best Film: 'We Need to Talk About Kevin'

Best British Newcomer: Candese Reid, 'Junkhearts'

Sutherland Award Winner: Pablo Giorgelli, 'Las Acacias'

Grierson Award for Best Documentary: 'Into the Abyss: A Tale of Death, A Tale of Life'